Milford: State sets hearing for Main St. construction

MILFORD - The state Department of Transportation is holding a public hearing next month on a proposed project to rebuild the Rtes. 140 and 16 intersection.

On June 20, the DOT is holding the hearing to allow the public to “become fully acquainted” with the proposed project, according to a public hearing notice.

The proposed $3.2 million project begins from Water Street in Milford to Adin Street in Hopedale. It includes 150 feet of work on Adin Street and 650 feet of work on Rte. 140. Improvements include new signals, geometric improvements, dedicated turning lanes at the busy intersection, new roadway pavements, new wheelchair-friendly sidewalks, drainage improvements and a roadway shoulder for bicyclists.

Once the project is completed, traffic lights downtown on Main Street will sync up with lights at the intersection to help unclog the junction.

Milford, Hopedale and the state will all be responsible for permanent or temporary easements and land acquisitions necessary for road-widening.

Town Meeting last fall approved $200,000 for such acquisitions. Necessary land along Rte. 140 - a state highway - will be paid for by the state.

Annual Town Meeting on May 22 is asking for $125,000 for the final design plans for the project.

The project is on the state Department of Public Transportation’s list of projects for 2019, but there’s a possibility it could begin in 2018, according to Highway Surveyor Scott Crisafulli.

The construction will be funded by the state and federal government. Milford is only responsible for design costs and easements, which is estimated to cost at least $300,000.

In addition to a traffic hazard, the intersection is increasingly becoming a safety issue with the continued expansion of Milford Regional Medical Center. The hospital overlooks the intersection and continues to acquire property along Rte. 16.

There’s often foot traffic in the area with several medical buildings nearby. Across the street on Rte. 16, a vacant lot was approved for a 30,000-square-foot medical building last year, but the hospital bought the land for $1.7 million last month. CEO Ed Kelly told the Daily News that there are not yet plans for the land.

Zachary Comeau can be reached at 508-634-7556 and zcomeau@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ZComeau_MDN.